Jan 11, 2025 77 min read Daily News Summaries

Mongolia News Summary for January 11, 2025

The following news articles are the opinions of their authors and publications. They are presented here as translations for informational purposes and do not necessarily represent the opinion of MongolBeat or its members.

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Politics

A Law Proposal to Confiscate Assets from Corrupt Officials

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

Today, a public discussion was held on the draft law concerning the confiscation and restitution of illegal assets held by public officials. Regarding this law proposal, the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, O. Altangerel, stated: "In recent years, the legal environment in Mongolia to fight corruption has been extremely challenging. Corrupt officials have been pardoned under successive amnesty laws, and over 30 trillion MNT has been concealed from taxes and social insurance, and illegal assets made public under the Economic Transparency Law. Fighting corruption in such difficult conditions has resulted in Mongolian society becoming infested with corruption. Officials have become perceived as wealthy individuals. Without conducting any business, people with much better living conditions, money, and high-ranking positions have proliferated within the Mongolian government. Therefore, we should always confiscate the assets of corrupt officials. Let's confiscate the assets that were supposed to be seized from those who have been protected under past amnesty laws. Moving forward, the law will stipulate that public officials such as members of the State Great Khural, government members, the president, members of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court judges, and directors of state-owned enterprises must be able to legally justify their income during their time in office, or else it will be confiscated. We aim to put a stop to this unjust enrichment. Once a corruption crime occurs, we will first confiscate the assets. The confiscated assets will be placed into a special fund and utilized for education and health sectors. This is the goal of the proposed legislation being discussed."

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Confiscation of Unjustified Assets of Officials

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

Public officials' illegal assets will be confiscated if they cannot justify their ownership. The draft law on confiscating and recovering illegal assets of public officials has been prepared, and a discussion is being held with representatives of civil society. Regarding the draft law, Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs O. Altangerel provided clarification. "Can you provide information about the draft law on asset confiscation and recovery? What were the reasons and conditions for developing such a law?" - In recent years, the legal environment for combating corruption and dealing with officials in Mongolia has been extremely difficult. With repeated amnesty laws, corrupt officials have been pardoned. The Economic Transparency Law has revealed over 30 trillion MNT, which is more than 50 trillion MNT at the current rate, hidden from taxes and evading social insurance, and illegally accumulated assets. Even Criminal Code provisions have disappeared due to legal loopholes. In such challenging conditions, agencies fighting corruption have been operating over the years. As a result, Mongolian society has become corrupt, and people consider officials to be wealthy individuals. High-ranking officials in the Mongolian government, particularly those who have no apparent business but live much better than ordinary citizens, have increased. Two years ago, I was talking about this, as researchers. The Joint Government was established, and from the perspective of advancing the battle for justice, this draft law was developed. What we want is, let's confiscate the assets of corrupt officials, even if there's no possibility of discussing criminal responsibility for those covered by past amnesty laws who have shielded themselves – let's at least confiscate the assets that weren't confiscated but should have been. The draft was prepared on this principle, suggesting that if public officials, including members of the Parliament, the Government, the President, members of the Constitutional Court, judges of the Supreme Court, or directors of state-owned companies, cannot legally justify their income during their tenure, their assets should be confiscated. Based on the Criminal Code provision against unjust enrichment or being legally wealthy, this event related to corruption and official crimes should be stopped fundamentally. We're discussing the proposal to confiscate assets again in case of further corruption and to use the confiscated assets for education and healthcare sectors, and to establish a special fund. "Releasing public officials from positions such as the President, MPs, and Government members is underway. Civil society organizations consider that too much focus on the police and prosecutors' activities is a weakness of this proposal. What about the introduction of the new term 'proxy person'?" - The drafting process took six months. We studied experiences in several countries. We received opinions from all legal organizations. The concept of a 'proxy person' will be newly introduced to the Criminal Code. Our officials, when obtaining illegal things like tenders, always send one person, often a friend from school or someone connected. There may not be a direct legal connection, such as family, but someone else takes the tender, signs on their behalf, pays on their behalf, and benefits on their behalf. When you try to investigate, you can't. That's why we're introducing this 'proxy person' concept. The 'public official' includes all those in state political administration and special governmental positions. These positions include the President, MPs, Government members, Prime Minister, and all officials. Highlighting public officials is necessary because state-owned company directors, who handle hundreds of billions of MNT, must also be included. That's where the most significant lootings and corruption occur, as seen from the coal case. If these individuals are not considered public officials, they'll escape through legal loopholes. Furthermore, they might have spent the embezzled funds, but if spent, the law requires recovery. Today we're discussing the draft with civil society organizations. Afterward, lawyers and researchers will be involved in discussions. The draft law will then be submitted to the Parliament. The draft is expected to improve as it goes through discussion stages. "There are concerns about unjustly targeting individuals under the guise of asset confiscation, and especially business people might be affected." - The law will clearly define who will check the assets and income. A list of high-risk individuals, those who held high public office in past years, will be compiled, and they will be mandatorily checked. For example, if a public official is under investigation and happens to have a family member in business, but assets were transferred to another's name, if the wealth was acquired through bribery and transferred to a son's name, confiscation is inevitable. If assets such as a 600 million MNT jeep or a 6 billion MNT house were gifted to a son with income derived from bribery, confiscation cannot be avoided. Many will misconstrue such situations as confiscating assets from innocent people. There is a major legal principle: respect for human rights and freedoms. Moreover, we are not approaching private sectors at all. The draft was developed with this viewpoint. "From when will the time frame for asset confiscation and recovery apply if this law is enacted?" - The time will be calculated from 2002 onwards. The 2002 Criminal Code first stipulated the mandatory confiscation of assets obtained through criminal activities. The timeframe will be calculated from then. There is a principle in Criminal Law - even if the statute of limitations expires, no punishment is assigned, or similar principles are related to penalties but not to wealth and money. If state funds were taken or wealth obtained through bribery or extortion, the state claims and must recover it. Issues regarding the 23-year relationship since 2002 will be discussed.

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TODAY: Public Discussion on Confiscating Illegal Assets of Public Officials

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Overview of some events happening on Friday, January 10: 10:00 AM: A session of the Parliament will be held. 10:00 AM: A public discussion on the draft law regarding the confiscation and restitution of illegal assets held by public officials will be held at the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs. 12:00 PM: A meeting of the Permanent Committee on State Organization of the Parliament will be held. 12:00 PM: Kh. Bat-Yalalt, leader of the NGO "Citizens for Justice," will give information on the topic "Judicial Reform is Necessary" at the National Information Center of the "Century News" newspaper. 3:00 PM: On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the adoption of the Democratic Constitution, Member of Parliament Kh. Temuujin will have an open meeting with journalists at the "Ulaanbaatar Galleria" on the topic "Constitution - Principle of Law and Changes in the Legal Sector." The National Championship for Dance Sports for youths, young adults, and adults will be held at the Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Palace. The National Championship for Jiu Jitsu for youths, young adults, and adults will be held at the Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Palace. The National Championship for Judo for adults will be held at the Mongolian Wrestling Palace. The registration for the 2025 military service in the capital city will be organized from January 6-22, by the Law on Military Service, the order of the Minister of Defense, and the decree of the Governor of the capital city. The registration for the national drone piloting competition "Dronecon-2025," which will be held on January 25-26, will continue until the 14th of this month. From January 1, the General Tax Authority has been accepting applications for tax deductions from individuals who have purchased a house for the first time and students in domestic and foreign universities who wish to receive educational fee discounts. The order for official state license plates will officially begin on the 15th of this month. Until the 14th of this month, citizens, businesses, and organizations can familiarize themselves with the system and check and verify their information. The "Featured Works Exhibition" of new and selected works is being held at the "Blue Mon" gallery from January 7-20. The special exhibition "Marco Polo, Kublai Khan, and the Mongols" dedicated to the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo is being displayed in the exhibition hall on the 9th floor of the Chinggis Khan National Museum until the 15th of this month.

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Officials' Properties Will Be Confiscated If They Cannot Prove Sources

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Public discussions on the draft law regarding the confiscation and restitution of public officials' illegal assets were held today. At the beginning of the discussion, Minister of Justice O. Altangerel stated: "In recent years, the legal environment and conditions for fighting corruption in Mongolia have been extremely difficult. Corrupt officials have been pardoned repeatedly under various laws. With the economic transparency law, over 30 trillion tugriks, or over 50 trillion tugriks at current rates, were revealed to have been hidden from taxes, evaded from social insurance, and illegally accumulated. Furthermore, even criminal law provisions against theft were abolished. In the past years, the Anti-Corruption Agency has worked under such difficult conditions. As a result, Mongolian society has become immersed in corruption, and public officials are perceived as wealthy individuals. The assets confiscated will be used to create a special fund to be spent on education and healthcare sectors. Also, people without any legitimate business but living far beyond others have become common in Mongolian politics. As a researcher, I have been discussing this issue for two years. When the coalition government was established, this law draft was prepared to make progress in the 'Fight for Justice.' Let's make sure to confiscate the assets of corrupt officials. For those who have been pardoned or have managed to evade accountability through any means, if it's not possible to bring them to criminal responsibility, we will now confiscate the assets that ought to have been confiscated. Moving forward, any public official such as members of parliament, government ministers, the president, constitutional court members, Supreme Court judges, or managers of state-owned companies, who cannot lawfully explain their assets, should be subjected to confiscation. It is proposed to include provisions in criminal law against illicit enrichment, and fundamentally halt events relating corruption with official positions, ensuring that when a corruption crime occurs, the assets are confiscated first. The assets confiscated will be used to create a special fund to be spent on education and healthcare sectors. Such a law will begin to be discussed as of today. It is expected that a significant change will occur in concentrating the assets of corrupt individuals," he expressed.

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8,860 Corruption Cases Investigated Between 2017-2023, Only 739 Resolved in Court

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

A public discussion was held today on the draft law regarding the confiscation and compensation of illegally obtained assets by public officials. During this event, the Minister of Justice and Home Affairs, O. Altangerel, highlighted the measures and laws concerning corruption cases. From 2013 to 2017, the damage caused by official crimes amounted to 299.8 billion MNT, 20.3 billion MNT of which was compensated, and 85.7 billion MNT worth of assets and income were frozen. However, only 400 million MNT of assets and income obtained through criminal activities were confiscated by court order, which is equal to 0.1% of the total damage and 0.4% of the frozen assets. From 2018 to 2023, corruption crimes resulted in damages of 1.5 trillion MNT, with 865.9 billion MNT worth of assets and income frozen and 14.9 billion MNT confiscated during the prosecutor's oversight phase. In those years, no data was released on assets and income confiscated by court orders. "As a result of individuals doing business with illegally obtained money, fair competition in the business environment has disappeared," it was emphasized. Consequently, officials have amassed wealth, the public has lost faith in the law and government, and elections have become corrupted with vote-buying, making it extremely difficult for genuinely principled and honest candidates to win. This has tainted politics and slowed economic growth. Because some individuals run businesses using illicitly acquired funds, fair competition no longer exists in the business environment, leading to increased poverty. The practice of awarding tenders to relatives, friends, and acquaintances has become rampant, resulting in the inefficient use of budget funds, the minister noted. Between 2017 and 2023, out of the 8,860 corruption crimes investigated, only 739 cases were resolved in court, meaning only 8.3% of the corrupt individuals faced court proceedings.

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13 Influential Political Figures Charged in 'Coal' Case

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Investigations related to coal mining, export, transportation, and procurement cases have led to criminal proceedings in 120 cases. Among those, 13 influential political figures, 90 public officials, 53 citizens, and a total of 3 legal entities have been charged. Out of these cases, 108 individuals and 2 legal entities were indicted for abusing power, receiving and giving bribes, illicit enrichment, and money laundering in 33 cases. These were forwarded to the court, out of which 26 cases have been adjudicated and concluded in the lower court. Since the establishment of the task force to investigate these coal-related cases, searches and inspections have been conducted on 278 objects. There have been 1,672 inspections of persons, items, and documents, and 11,101 individuals have been questioned as witnesses. Economic and other types of expert assessments totaling 41 have been obtained. During the investigation, damages amounting to 194,384 USD and 23.8 billion MNT have been recovered, and assets including movable and immovable property worth 353 million MNT and 14.9 billion MNT have been confiscated as state revenue.

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Let's Stop Providing Severance Pay to Former Members of Parliament!

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

Stop providing a severance payment equivalent to 12 months' salary to former members of Parliament whose terms have ended! As soon as some members expressed their stance against providing severance pay equivalent to 12 months' salary to former members of Parliament, MPs S. Ganbaatar and Ch. Lodoytsambuu started to get agitated, saying, "This severance pay is necessary for someone like me who has no business. I'm not an oligarch or a corrupt individual. If I'm not re-elected as an MP, I will receive severance payment equivalent to 12 months' salary." According to the income statements they submitted to the Anti-Corruption Agency, MP Ch. Lodoytsambuu has savings of 893 million MNT, and S. Ganbaatar has 648 million MNT in assets and income. It seems there is no necessity for them to rely on severance pay once their parliamentary terms end, yet they are "trembling" over receiving it anyway. According to Article 41.9 of the Law on the State Great Khural of Mongolia, if a member of Parliament does not engage in employment after their term ends, they are entitled to a severance payment equivalent to the basic salary of a member over 12 months, and if they take a lower-paying job, they are entitled to an amount equivalent to the salary difference. If they relocate to where they lived before being elected as a member, the cost of transportation, luggage, and other expenses for themselves and their family members will be covered according to road transport tariffs. Under this provision, 30 former members of Parliament who served from 2020 to 2024 applied for and began receiving this severance pay. A member of Parliament's monthly salary ranges from 3.5 to 4 million MNT, so receiving it for a whole year amounts to 42 to 48 million MNT, and this is just the cash amount they receive. Additionally, if they relocate to their former district, the government covers those costs. This increases the burden on the state budget, which falls on the shoulders of taxpayers. However, for the former MPs demanding this severance pay, the burden on taxpayers seems irrelevant. Furthermore, these 30 people receiving severance pay are by no means destitute. With billions in savings, even lying back and watching the sky would yield tens of millions in annual interest. On top of that, they have businesses. However, greed seems to prevail, as they continue to collect this pay. The provision was initially implemented in 1997 when it was first included in the Law on the State Great Khural of Mongolia. The original law stated that members whose terms ended would receive a six-month severance payment. However, in 2006, the law was amended to extend this to 12 months. Despite two subsequent amendments to the law, these provisions have been retained until today. This provision, which can be understood as a form of unemployment benefit, grants them severance pay for 12 months, which can be seen as giving themselves an advantage. In contrast, a citizen who loses their job receives an unemployment benefit from the Social Insurance Fund based on 45-70% of their average salary for 76 working days, depending on the time they contributed. For former MPs whose terms have ended, the 12-month payment appears disproportionate. Therefore, it is important to bring this severance pay provision closer to the unemployment benefits provided by the Social Insurance Fund to avoid discrimination, as it otherwise establishes a standard where some live above the law and others below it. Additionally, during parliamentary elections, candidates often spend billions, yet when they fail to get elected, they resort to claiming severance pay. How does this align with reality? Constituents frequently raise the issue of whether the people, who didn’t elect them, should bear the cost of their severance. It seems unthinkable that after voluntarily running for election and becoming members, they should act as if they are entitled to severance payments like an obligation they must fulfill. Therefore, the State Great Khural must address this issue in the spring session to reach a resolution. Even wealthy politicians in our country are living off such benefits.

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Prosecutor Challenges Case Involving Attempt on High-Ranking State Official's Life

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

The case related to V. Munkhjargal, who is accused of attempting to harm a high-ranking state official, was transferred by the Intelligence Agency to a court with "Top Secret" classification. The Criminal Court of First Instance of the Sukhbaatar District reviewed the case and returned it to the prosecutor for additional investigation. However, the prosecutor opposed the judge's decision and filed a complaint with the Criminal Court of Appeal of the Capital City, which was scheduled for discussion. Nevertheless, the court hearing was postponed. The Intelligence Agency investigated the case against V. Munkhjargal and classified it under Article 19.3 of the Criminal Code, "Attempt on the life of a high-ranking state official," before transferring the case to the court. The identity of the victim and the reason why V. Munkhjargal attempted to harm the high-ranking state official remain unclear, as the case was investigated by the Intelligence Agency and transferred to the court as a "top secret" matter.

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Economy

The Government Will Negotiate with Enterprises Operating Strategic Deposits

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

The law on the National Wealth Fund was passed by the Parliament last spring. This law stipulates that 34-50% of strategic mineral deposits will be taken into state ownership. In our country, 16 deposits have been registered as strategic deposits, of which 7 are state-owned and 9 are privately owned. The Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat, N. Uchral, stated that negotiations will be conducted with enterprises operating these strategic deposits to transfer 34-50% of the shares to the state. He stated, "The law on the National Wealth Fund and the Minerals Law stipulates that the state will take ownership of 34% of entities exploiting strategic mineral deposits, and if the resource was established at the state's expense, up to 50% will be taken free of charge by the state. This concerns natural wealth. No one has created it." There are 16 strategic mineral deposits in our country. Seven are in state ownership, and the rest are in private hands. Therefore, the government will negotiate with enterprises owning strategic deposits. We'll negotiate with Achit-Ikht. Achit-Ikht is a strategic deposit; moreover, it's a derivative deposit. We will appoint our financial analysts. It will be based on a financial model that benefits the people of Mongolia most. According to the 27th resolution of Parliament in 2007, the following deposits were considered to be of strategic importance: - Tavan Tolgoi Coal Deposit, located in the Tsogttsetsii sum of Umnugovi aimag. The reserve calculation includes the licensed area held by Tavan Tolgoi LLC, Energy Resources LLC, and Daitsuki LLC. - Nariin Sukhait Coal Deposit, located in the Gurvantes sum of Umnugovi aimag. A stability agreement was signed with the Government of Mongolia. - Baganuur Brown Coal Deposit, located in Baganuur district of Ulaanbaatar city. The area with calculated reserves is included. Extracted by "Baganuur" JSC. - Shivee Ovoo Brown Coal Deposit, located in Shiveegobi sum of Gobisumber aimag. The area with calculated reserves is included. Extracted by "Shivee Ovoo" JSC. - Mardai Uranium Deposit, located in Dashbalbar sum of Dornod aimag. Initial exploration was done with state funds, with further exploration being conducted privately. - Dornod Uranium Deposit, located in Dashbalbar sum of Dornod aimag. - Gurvanbulag Uranium Deposit, located in Dashbalbar sum of Dornod aimag. - Tumurtei Iron Ore Deposit, located in Khuder sum of Selenge aimag. The special license was revoked from "BLT" LLC in 2006. The area with calculated reserves is included. - Oyu Tolgoi Copper and Gold Deposit, located in Khanbogd sum of Umnugovi aimag. The reserve calculation report is being prepared for discussion at the Mineral Resources Council. Understood by the size of the group of deposits. - Tsagaan Suvarga Copper and Molybdenum Deposit, located in Mandakh sum of Dornogovi aimag. Initial exploration was done with state funds, with further exploration being conducted privately. - Erdenet Copper and Molybdenum Deposit, located in Bayan-Undur sum of Orkhon aimag. Governed by an agreement between the governments of Mongolia and Russia. - Burenkhaan Phosphate Deposit, located in Alag-Erdene sum of Khuvsgul aimag. Calculated reserves outside the Khuvsgul National Park protect area, with four companies holding exploration licenses. - Boro Gold Deposit, located in the Bayangol sum of Selenge aimag. A stability agreement was signed with the Government of Mongolia. - Tumurtain Ovoo Zinc and Lead Deposit, located in Sukhbaatar sum of Sukhbaatar aimag. A stability agreement was signed with the Government of Mongolia. - Asgat Silver Deposit, located in Nogoonnuur sum of Bayan-Ulgii aimag. The joint venture "Mongolrostvetmet" with special permissions is regulated by an agreement between the governments of Mongolia and Russia.

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Final Approval of Investment Agreement for Uranium Mining in Collaboration with France

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

In today's plenary session of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, the consultation on the investment agreement for uranium mining between the Government of Mongolia and France's state-owned "Orano Mining" company was discussed. Consequently, it was approved with 73.2% support from the members. The state-owned French company "Orano Mining" is collaborating with the Government of Mongolia to implement a uranium mining project in Mongolia. The company plans to operate in the Zuunbayan territory, Tul area, and the Southern part in Ulaanbadrah soum of the Dornogovi Province.

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N.Uchral: The main feature of the uranium agreement is to ensure 51% dividends

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The regular meeting of the Mongolian Parliament is ongoing. They are discussing a bill to amend and supplement the Law on the National Wealth Fund, as well as the associated draft laws. During this session, the draft Investment Agreement for the uranium mining project to be established between the Government of Mongolia and the French company “Orano Mining S.A.S” is being considered. At this time, Member of Parliament S. Ganbaatar expressed, "After talking for more than a month, it seems like two bones are separating. It looks like everyone is happy that it will conclude today. Friends, you will take this agreement and make it. We, the MPs, have a responsibility and duty to the Mongolian people to supervise and take responsibility for it constantly. I have always asked two things. First, can you confirm that the investor will build a plant for the disposal and burial of radioactive hazardous waste and have it included in the agreement? How many tugriks will it cost to build the plant? Let's at least have two plants. Second, saying a sulfuric acid plant will be built means monitoring if the product composition is up to standard. There are many facets. The essence of the sulfuric acid plant is that Mongolia will achieve the dream of having a copper smelting plant. When building a copper smelting plant, the question is what to do with the elemental acid. This is a big opportunity. Such an opportunity exists. Tell us how long and how much it will cost to build the plant. Third, when will the feasibility study be finally approved? When will it be presented? Trying to make an agreement without any feasibility study means we're just guessing. Fourth, they say the French will take 4% of the management expenses or operational and investment costs. They will take 2% from the marketing expenses or sales revenue. Please don't use the word "benefit." They said 54% of the benefit from Oyu Tolgoi was supposed to be Mongolia's. Every day there was supposed to be 1 million USD coming in. They said it would carry one-third of Mongolia's budget. All turned out to be false. So, when those costs increase, will it affect the amount of profit we receive? Is it possible to say it won't? In conclusion, when this law first came in, the rule was that under Law 5.2 and 5.3 of the Nuclear Energy Law, we would give the underground uranium and in return get 51% and 34% of the shares for free and without any financial risk, but now that's being abandoned. If the copper contract had come in like this, you would have been doing something great. We were all deceived with the Oyu Tolgoi contract. Despite being made smart by Oyu Tolgoi, still, this is really about uranium. Uranium is more of a rare item than just a value," saying his opinion and asking questions. From 2028, when the mine is operational, the special royalty will be transferred to the citizens' savings accounts. N. Uchral, Head of the Cabinet Secretariat, responded to his questions. He stated, "Member of Parliament S. Ganbaatar's great concern is correct. We should never forget the lessons learned from past mistakes. When we reviewed the Oyu Tolgoi agreement, they calculated a 20% dividend or $998 million, which is not reality now. The Oyu Tolgoi project's 2010 feasibility study stated that from 2010-2013, $6.2 billion would come into the state budget of Mongolia. However, by 2023, only $2.8 billion has been realized. This has come from the 5% royalty income. The "Orano Mining S.A.S" project has a feasibility study that projects the first dividend in 2031. If we hadn't reached 51% with the Oyu Tolgoi agreement, and had there been an adjustment at 50+1%, the government could have received an additional $352 million annually. We lost this. We continued with just the 34%. The dividend still hasn't been distributed. Ultimately, the majority should come to the Mongolian people, so we are proceeding with a parliamentary resolution. We have not renounced ownership. Implementing this project depends on what is more beneficial. Therefore, the "Orano Mining S.A.S" has a feasibility study with dividends expected in 2031. However, from 2028, when the mine becomes operational, the special royalty will be transferred to the citizens' savings accounts. Therefore, the main feature of this agreement is to ensure 51% in dividends. For Member of Parliament S. Ganbaatar, you cannot say there is no feasibility study. The feasibility study was first approved in 2015 at the then price of $66. It has been updated since. The reason why the final decision has not been made by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources' advisory council is that they were waiting for the parliamentary resolution to replace the state's 34% border share. Otherwise, if calculated at $80 per lb, a new feasibility would be ready. The resolution for the strategic deposit should have been formalized. Additionally, responses were given to questions about waste management by the working group. In response, it was stated that "$2.3 million has been allocated for waste management according to the preliminary feasibility study. Deals assessing risk and monitoring will be handled separately. The technology for recycling ordinary industrial waste will be utilized. However, the realization of hazardous waste related to mining projects is mentioned in clause 9.2 of the agreement. Therefore, this expense will operate according to the feasibility study and environmental impact assessment. Hazardous waste and low-level radioactive waste have different regulatory arrangements under the law. According to the waste law, hazardous waste is categorized into three levels. People mistakenly think that things like tires, lubricants, and other waste are all in the hazardous category. Detailed and scientifically grounded information about inevitable hazardous and low-level radioactive waste during the project will be introduced to the public.

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Supported Discussing the Uranium Mining Project Agreement with "Orano Mining S.A.S" Company

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

During the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, the draft law on amendments to the Law on the National Wealth Fund was finalized. During this session, the investment agreement draft for the uranium mining project to be established between the Government of Mongolia and the "Orano Mining S.A.S" company of the French Republic was discussed and supported. The draft investment agreement was introduced by Uchral Nyam-Osor, the head of the Cabinet Secretariat. This project, which aims to bring the Zuuvch-Ovoo and Dulaan-Uul uranium deposits into economic circulation, is one of the 14 mega projects planned to be implemented as part of the government's 2024-2028 action plan for national development. The implementation of this agreement is expected to increase foreign investment, concentrate funds in the state and local budgets, create jobs, localize new technology, and have direct impacts on social and economic aspects. Moreover, it will set a precedent for future investment agreements in the mining and mineral sector. When voting on whether to support the draft investment agreement or not, 12 out of the 14 members of Parliament present at the committee meeting supported it, and it was decided to forward this proposal and conclusion to the Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy. Source: Group of the Mongolian People's Party in the Parliament.

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The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 2023 Report of Mongolia has been published

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Mongolia has released its 18th report since joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in 2006. The report compiles and presents the current state of the sector based on the 2023 reports of the government, exploration and utilization license holders for mineral resources, exploration license holders for radioactive substances, and enterprises with product sharing agreements. In accordance with the main directions of the state's policy of Mongolia, the report aims to develop the mineral resources sector with the principles of transparency and responsible mining, make the income from natural resources open to the public, enhance the responsibility of the parties involved, and strengthen good governance. The report is compiled with the participation of the government, private sector, and civil society representatives. This report was prepared and published as ordered by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in partnership with SIC Mongolia and Growth Finance audit companies. In 2023, a total of 8.1 trillion MNT was compiled in the report. The mining sector contributed 29.9% of the state's consolidated budget revenue, with coal miners alone accounting for 56.2% of this contribution. The revenue collected from the mineral resources sector was 7,679.8 billion MNT, which increased by 3,072.9 billion MNT or 40.0% compared to the same period last year. The mining sector accounted for 28.7% of GDP, an increase of 5.1% compared to the same period last year, contributed 86.5% of export earnings—up by 24.7%, and constituted 31.6% of the budget revenue.

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Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

As part of the reform of the tax and social insurance law package, a study has been initiated to reduce social insurance contributions. The draft law on the tax and social insurance package is scheduled to be submitted to the spring session of parliament. The draft law is reportedly being developed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and the Ministry of Finance. Currently, employers pay 12.5% and employees pay 11.5% in social insurance contributions. The new law aims to reduce these contributions. Regarding this, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection, L. Enkh-Amgalan, stated in an interview with NTV, "We have not yet calculated the exact percentage by which contributions will be reduced. This should be done alongside tax reform. Individual income tax, corporate income tax, and social insurance contributions paid by individuals and businesses should be changed in a way that is beneficial to people and does not burden the state budget. We are considering various policy options."

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Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

On January 2, Golomt Bank successfully issued a green and social bond on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, raising 50 million USD in financing. This event marks the first bond issued from Mongolia's financial market to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and is notable for being the corporate bond with the lowest interest rate issued on the global market. Since Golomt Bank first issued shares on the Mongolian Stock Exchange in 2022, they have made significant advancements. In 2024, the bank issued a three-year bond worth 400 million USD on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Moreover, at the beginning of 2025, it reinforced its previous successes by issuing a five-year bond worth 50 million USD on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, surpassing the expectations of its clients and investors. Registering an organization on a prestigious international stock exchange signifies that the bond issuing institution has met numerous stringent criteria and is operating reliably and transparently according to high standards.

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Highlights of the Uranium Project Agreement

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

The history of development in world countries is directly linked to how successfully they have attracted investments and pushed forward major projects. Similarly, Mongolia has made efforts to attract investment and develop the country through various policies and attempts. Unfortunately, aside from the investment made in the Oyu Tolgoi project in 2009, Mongolia has not been able to attract any significant investments from third neighbors up to this day. Due to this reality, Mongolia's development significantly lags behind, and it can be said that it is hundreds of years behind in fields such as social, economic, and scientific development compared to other countries. Recently, there has been intensive discussion regarding signing an investment agreement with a third neighbor, particularly with France in the uranium sector. The presidents of the two countries have exchanged visits, and through persistent meetings and mutual understanding among joint working groups, the draft of the investment agreement to be established with Orano Mining, the investor of "Badrakh Energy" LLC, is ready. The working group has emphasized that the agreement has been prepared keeping in mind the national interests of Mongolia, ensuring that the majority of benefits from using a strategically important mineral deposit go to the people, and aiming to balance the benefits for both parties. This project, which is to be implemented in cooperation with France, will become the second major investment agreement with a third country, which could lead to an increase in Mongolia's share of foreign direct investment. It also offers gains that cannot be quantified in monetary terms such as bringing Mongolia to the attention of international investors and attracting more investment. If we look at the monetary terms, it's estimated to contribute 520 billion MNT annually to the local budget, 17.1 trillion MNT throughout the project's lifespan, and 61.5 billion MNT annually to the National Wealth Fund, totaling 2 trillion MNT throughout the project. It is also significant in boosting foreign currency inflows and creating approximately 1,600 jobs. Additionally, it will provide opportunities to introduce new technology and build new types of factories. The revised draft of the investment agreement consists of 18 chapters, 86 clauses, and 355 provisions, and it is scheduled to be discussed in the autumn session of the State Great Khural before the session adjourns. Importantly, the State Great Khural approved the law on the procedure for discussing this investment agreement project. Here, we summarize some of the important points included in the investment agreement between Mongolia and France. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL MONGOLIA RECEIVE LESS THAN 51% OF THE BENEFITS In terms of economics and investment: The initial investment amount is approximately 500 million USD to be made within four years from the effective date of the agreement. The initial investment is agreed to be financed by the investor's own funds, and shareholder loans will not be allowed during the project period. Any necessary borrowing will be decided by a shareholders' meeting resolution. Instead of directly using the financial estimates provided by the investor, Mongolia has developed its financial model based on a technical and economic feasibility study in line with the international FAST (Flexible, Appropriate, Structured, Transparent) standards. Thus, it is ensured that at least 51% of the benefits from the strategic mineral deposit will be accumulated annually for Mongolia. It is agreed that the government will have no obligation to invest in the project in any way. The project's draft includes specifying the direct benefits to both the government and the investor, stating that if Mongolia's direct benefits do not reach 51%, the investor and the implementing company are required to make additional compensatory payments to the government to make the benefits reach 51%. The government will directly own 10% of the "State Preferred Shares" equivalent to 10% of the project company’s equity at no cost and without the share proportion decreasing. Additionally, the government has the right to purchase up to 10% of the products under the same terms and conditions as the investor. Provisional agreements give the government the right to veto amendments to the company's charter, license transfers, pledging, guarantees, and changes to investment and operational costs. ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES WILL NOT BE STABILIZED In terms of tax and finance: The investor initially proposed stabilizing 27 types of taxes, which has been negotiated down to only 4 types: corporate income tax, VAT, royalty, and customs tariffs, excluding environmental taxes from stabilization. Moreover, the proposal to broadly stabilize the tax calculation methodology was revised to cover only three aspects: tax type and rate, depreciation period, loss carryforward period. The investment agreement will not stabilize legislation. It is agreed that royalty will be calculated for other minerals contained in the product. Payments for marketing and know-how related to the project's operations were initially proposed by the investor not to count towards their benefits but were negotiated to include them in the benefits calculation. Hence, if the costs increase, the investor's benefits will increase accordingly, so the Mongolian side's share of benefits will also increase in line with cost growth. AT LEAST 90% OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE SHALL BE MONGOLIAN CITIZENS Concerning regional and local development, and environmental issues: Environmental monitoring, geo-ecological research, and radiation control shall be carried out throughout all phases of the project based on baseline indicators defined in the technical-economic justification and environmental impact assessment. A third-party audit by International Atomic Energy Agency experts will be conducted every three years on the project's operations and technology. The implementing company will enter into a tripartite cooperation agreement with the Governor of Dornogovi Province and the Governor of Ulaanbadrakh Soum, to implement measures supporting local development. As part of the cooperation agreement, the implementing company will invest 300,000 USD during the development phase, 1,000,000 USD during the mining operations phase, and 1,100,000 USD during the mine closure phase. During the mining operations phase, at least 90% of the total workforce of the project implementing company shall be Mongolian citizens. It is agreed that during the mining operations phase, not less than 60% of the total number of subcontractors and not less than 40% of the annual total procurement value must be Mongolian registered, tax-paying entities. The investment agreement is concluded for 20 years, with provisions to extend it for a legally specified period if certain requirements are met.

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Parliament: Investment Agreement Draft Discussion Supported

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Today's meeting of the Standing Committee on Budget of the State Great Khural started at 11:51 am with 52.0% attendance of its members. The meeting discussed the draft investment agreement to be established between the Government of Mongolia and Orano Mining S.A.S, a shareholder in Badrakh Energy LLC, a Mongolian-French joint venture. This draft was received from the government on January 8, 2025. Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia, N. Uchral, presented the introduction of the draft agreement. He mentioned that the draft investment agreement for a uranium mining project to be established between the Government of Mongolia and France's Orano Mining S.A.S has been prepared in advance, aligned with the national interest and legal regulations of Mongolia, and introduced pursuant to Article 30.3 of the Nuclear Energy Law for mutual consent. The project is expected to contribute MNT 520 billion to the state budget annually, with total funding of MNT 17.1 trillion over its lifetime, MNT 61.5 billion annually to the National Wealth Fund, and generate around 1,600 new jobs. The "Zuun Ovoo" and "Dulaaan Uul" uranium deposits' economic circulation project is one of 14 mega projects planned under the Government's 2024-2028 Action Plan. By implementing this agreement, foreign investments will increase, ensuring state and local budgets benefit, creating jobs, introducing new technologies, and having a direct social-economic impact. Moreover, it will set a precedent for future mining and mineral investment agreements. The investor has been operating in Mongolia in exploration and mining since 1997. Experimental production at "Zuuvch-Ovoo" began in July 2021 and was completed successfully in December 2022. Since May 2023, negotiations for the investment agreement draft have been ongoing, with working groups set up by the Prime Minister's directives to present the finalized version to the Cabinet meeting. These included expert organizations, researchers, and sectoral ministers covering law, economics, investment, taxes, finance, mining, industry, technology, environment, and local regions. N. Uchral highlighted the thorough approach taken to prepare the draft: ensuring the strategic mineral deposit provides the utmost benefit to the people, balancing mutual benefits, and creating legally enduring outcomes with potential as a model agreement. Consultations involved international experts in finance, law, and environment, alongside domestic consultants, the government stated. 18 rounds of negotiations were held, reflecting Mongolian legislation and international legal principles. The mutually agreed initial investment amount is approximately USD 500 million, to be executed over four years. The investor agreed to finance operations without debt instruments equalized to loans and without shareholder loans. Financial calculations rely on feasibility study standards (FAST), assuring Mongolia receives at least 51% accumulated annuity benefits. If Mongolia's share does not reach 51%, the investor should top up this shortfall. The government will directly own a free 10% of the company's equity without decreasing its share. The deal suggests purchasing up to 10% of the product under the same conditions as the investor. Discussions reduced 27 forms of tax stabilization to four: corporate income, VAT, mineral royalties, and customs tariffs. Anti-Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) principles and domestic law compliance were mentioned in the draft. Marketing expenses will not be registered as deductible. The government's persistent stance to revise the 0% VAT on uranium through a unified mining policy was stated. The investor agreed to this contingent on a unified approach to all mining companies. Implementing this agreement could have an economic impact of MNT 17.1 trillion over its operational period and create about 1,600 jobs, along with fostering new industries and technologies such as a sulfuric acid plant. Becoming a major player in uranium export, Mongolia could progress towards non-CO2 emitting clean energy sources. Parliament members raised questions regarding financial comparisons of strategic mine royalties, the use of double taxation agreements with France, and water supply issues in the Gobi region. In a voting session, 68.8% of the present committee members favored supporting the draft investment agreement. The Permanent Security and Foreign Policy Committee will receive this conclusion, the press office of the State Great Khural reported.

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Uranium Concentrate to be Sold to Seven European Countries via China

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The Parliament discussed and approved the draft resolution "On replacing the share and extent of state ownership of mineral deposits of strategic importance" at its general session yesterday. In collaboration with the French Orano Group, experimental extraction of uranium concentrate has begun from the Zuunbayan deposit in Dornogovi province. With the signing of an investment agreement between the governments of the two countries, the sale of the concentrate will commence this year. It will be sold to seven European Union countries via China through maritime transportation. The sales will be managed by the extraction company, "Badrakh Energy." Uranium is considered a mineral of strategic importance. Therefore, the government will not hold a 34% share of this deposit as per the investment agreement to be signed with the Orano Group, but will instead hold preferred shares. Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Ts. Tuvaan stated, "Our country ranks in the top ten in the world in terms of uranium reserves. Extracting energy from uranium is considered green energy. Therefore, worldwide uranium consumption is expected to grow in the future. The project in Dornogovi province will provide jobs for a total of 1,600 people. Underground in-situ leaching method will be used for extraction, which has minimal environmental impact. 2,500 tons of uranium concentrate will be extracted annually." The underground in-situ leaching method allows for the extraction of 70-90% of total reserves. Water containing 2% sulfuric acid is injected deep into the ground. 90-95% of the water is reused. In addition, uranium is mined in both open and underground mines in some countries. This project, which will last 30 years, has a return of 51%. However, this does not mean that the government of Mongolia will receive 51% of the net profit. The returns include all taxes, social insurance fees, local investments, land, and water fees. After signing the investment agreement with the Orano Group, companies from the Czech Republic, China, and Russia are also preparing to enter this sector. Eight special permits for uranium utilization have been issued to several companies.

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Development Bank's NEW STRATEGY!

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

The Development Bank of Mongolia was initially established to support exports and provide long-term, low-interest loans for projects that replace imports, with the goal of diversifying the Mongolian economy. Since its inception, it has faced numerous challenges. Particularly in 2017, when the Parliament amended the Development Bank's law to allow it to independently issue loans like commercial banks, which proved to be a mistake recognized nationwide. Thus, the Parliament member Z. Narantuya was appointed as the executive director, tasked with the major responsibility of reforming the Development Bank, which had been at risk to the point of earning the nickname "ailing bank." This appointment was seen as a professional decision. With total assets valued at 2.3 billion MNT, of which 57.3% are classified as non-performing and at risk, the government has initiated comprehensive reforms to transform the Development Bank into an Exim bank. The new strategy outlined by executive director Z. Narantuya aims to turn the bank into an import-export bank. Due to the controversies of 2020, the Development Bank has lost its reputation internationally. Therefore, there is an urgent need to clarify the bank's objectives and amend laws and regulations to restore confidence among investors. Government policies must align with those of the Development Bank to successfully implement projects that support exports and replace imports. The coalition government has announced plans to implement 14 "M" projects as part of its program. Therefore, the Development Bank will not compete with commercial banks in issuing small loans; instead, it will support large projects that contribute to Mongolia's development and boost exports. Currently, 95% of the total loan portfolio of commercial banks is dedicated to import financing, with only 5% allocated for export financing. This highlights the critical need for loans supporting exports in Mongolia's economy. Mining products account for 90% of Mongolia's exports. Hence, providing loans supporting exports is seen as a major objective to diversify the economy. Moving forward, the Development Bank will, based on the Exim bank model, finance projects in renewable energy, heating, and infrastructure in collaboration with foreign investors. N. Uchral, head of the Cabinet Secretariat, expressed that "A comprehensive managerial reform will be conducted in the Development Bank, transforming it into an import-export bank." One pressing issue for the Development Bank is human resources, particularly a shortage of professionals working on projects in Mongolia. The plan includes training young professionals and making significant human resource reforms. Consequently, the focus is on renewing laws, attracting investment, and preparing human resources. After completing this comprehensive management reform, the Development Bank plans to start financing its project programs from the second quarter of 2025. However, there's an emphasis on diligently studying the feasibility, market, and other factors of the financed projects. To prevent misuse of loans, those implementing projects must demonstrate economic efficiency, and the project initiator is required to cover at least 15% of the project's financing themselves. The Development Bank will operate with a new strategy and cultural approach, promising transparency, as executive director Z. Narantuya has pledged. Her main ambition is to "Establish a bank that abides by laws and regulations, incorporates a risk-free management system, and embodies sound governance."

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XacBank's 2024 Post-Tax Net Profit Reaches 170.9 Billion Tugrik, a 20.3% Increase from the Previous Year

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

XacBank JSC reported a post-tax net profit of 170.9 billion tugrik (+20.3% from the previous year) for 2024, achieving a 25.6% annualized return on equity (ROE) and earnings per share (EPS) of 162 tugrik. Among noteworthy financial indicators for the reporting period: - The loan and financial lease portfolio increased by 34.5% from the previous year to 3,697 billion tugrik, resulting in a 22.5% growth in net interest income. - The ratio of non-performing loans improved by 0.9 percentage points from the beginning of the year to reach 2.0%. - Deposits and savings sources grew by 19.1% from the previous year, reaching 3,425 billion tugrik. - The core capital and risk-weighted asset adequacy ratio indicators stood at 19.2% (required level: 12.5%), and the liquidity coverage ratio at 38.4% (required level: 25.0%), respectively. Highlights from the fourth quarter of 2024 include: - Agreements to raise a total of $131.8 million for supporting micro and small to medium enterprises, as well as women entrepreneurs, were concluded with international financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), German Investment and Development Corporation (DEG), responsAbility (rA), and Symbiotics. - XacBank's energy-efficient residential mortgage program was selected as the best project by the Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF) for 2024. - The "No Worries" service, allowing transactions and transfers from 150,000 to 400,000 tugrik even with insufficient account balances, was introduced to the market. Click HERE to view the financial status and income statement for XacBank's fourth quarter of 2024. Click HERE to view XacBank's 2024 Financial and Operational Report. Warning: Media outlets (TV, Radio, Social and Web pages) must cite the source (ikon.mn) when using our information either in full or in part.

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Clarification: If You Live in Ulaanbaatar, the Insurance Premium Will Increase; It Will Increase Even More if You Cause an Accident

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

There is a misunderstanding among people regarding the increase in the mandatory insurance premium for driver liability. The incorrect information is that "the mandatory driver liability insurance has become 700 thousand MNT." We have sought clarification from professional sources. Only the insurance premiums for irresponsible drivers will increase. B. Javkhlantsoog, Executive Director of the Mongolian Insurance Market Association of the Financial Regulatory Commission, stated that the Drivers' Insurance Law was adopted in 2011 and has been implemented since 2012. Drivers' insurance is mandatory in any country. There are 1.2 million vehicles in our country, with approximately 700 thousand vehicles in Ulaanbaatar, accounting for about 60% of the total. The traffic load is already overcapacity. Therefore, there is a need to increase drivers' cultural awareness. The Traffic Police and traffic regulations are directed towards this, and the insurance systems operate to make drivers responsible. Drivers who participate in traffic with good culture are rewarded, and their premiums are discounted in the following year. However, the premium for those who have caused many accidents or violated traffic rules is increased in the following year. Two mechanisms operate in this way. In our country, nine factors are assessed to determine a driver's premium. These are called nine coefficients. They include the driver's age and experience. The premium differs if you have more experience than a new young driver. The premium also varies depending on the engine capacity of the vehicle. Drivers who do not receive compensation find their premiums reduced the next year, which they do not often notice. The premium decreases by 0.95, or 5%, in the following year. If there are no claims or accidents again in the next year, it drops to 0.9, meaning a 10% reduction. This is how the premium is reduced. There is one explanation for the reduction. Due to other eight factors, the premium may increase. This regulation has been implemented for many years. Changes to the law and regulations to make drivers responsible refer to the conditions where the insurance premium for driving under the influence, violating traffic signs, or speeding will increase. If an organizational vehicle is involved in an accident with an unspecified number of drivers or anyone is driving it, insurance will cover it. In such cases, the premium increases even more. Premiums decrease further for responsible drivers. For irresponsible drivers, the premium will continue to increase in the following year. As accidents and violations continue to rise, it is necessary to adjust the insurance price accordingly. J. Batjargal, Executive Director of the Mongolian Insurance Association, mentioned that the coefficient for drivers' insurance is based on the Drivers' Insurance Law and serves to either increase or decrease the base premium. The coefficient system is intended to make drivers responsible and to hold those involved in major accidents accountable. For example, a B class driver with over 15 years of driving experience could have a premium standing at 55 thousand MNT if including two to four close family members in the contract. Premiums vary by class, and if a C or D class driver has many accidents, their insurance premium could reach 500 to 700 thousand MNT. Last year, 25 thousand traffic accidents and insurance cases were recorded, and compensation was provided by insurance for these. By the third quarter of 2024, about 36 billion MNT worth of damages have been compensated. Weekly, liability insurance for drivers increases by 2-3 billion MNT. The number of accidents and violations keeps growing, and the amount of damage per accident is increasing. The price of spare parts has risen significantly. As a result, insurance compensations are increasing. If adjustments are not made, it will become difficult to maintain funds. However, the focus is on making only the irresponsible group bear the consequences. If you live in Ulaanbaatar, the insurance premium will increase. If you cause an accident, it will increase even more. T. Batzul, President of the Mongolian Insurance Association, stated that traffic accidents and violations occur daily due to irresponsible drivers. Therefore, insurance premiums have been increased to make these drivers responsible. If you live in Ulaanbaatar, the premium will increase to a certain extent. If an accident is caused, it will increase even more. Previously, drivers who caused accidents would evade higher premiums by fleeing, but that will no longer be possible. Improved responsibility will lead to fewer accidents. Fewer accidents will also reduce traffic congestion to some extent.

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"Mogoin Gol" JSC to Spend 10 Billion Tugriks for Coal Transportation from Erdenet to Ereen

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Mogoin Gol JSC, 51% owned by Khuvsgul province, has announced two types of tenders totaling 10 billion tugriks for transporting coal from Erdenet city to Ereen city in China. The first tender, announced by the Khuvsgul Provincial Procurement Office, is for "Customs Yard Service for Loading and Unloading Coal in Erdenet City," with a total budget of 528 million tugriks. This tender involves unloading, stockpiling, and loading 64 thousand tons of coal transported by road from Mogoin Gol onto the railway. The second tender is related to selecting a contractor for "Rail Transport from Erdenet to Ereen City" and has a total budget of 9.4 billion tugriks. The aim of this tender is to transport the aforementioned 64 thousand tons of coal by rail from the customs yard in Erdenet city to China's Ereen port in containers. Mogoin Gol JSC was established in 1970 to meet the fuel needs of Khuvsgul and Zavkhan provinces and was privatized by the 35th resolution of the Mongolian Government's Privatization Commission, with 51% local government ownership and 49% private ownership as a joint-stock company. The Mogoin Gol mine has an area of 174 hectares, with an estimated coal reserve of 11.4 million tons. According to the company's own information, the Board of Directors has 10 members, with three local government officials, three independent members, and three shareholders. The Chairman of the Board is B. Doljinsorogd, the Director of Khuvsgul Province's State Property Committee, and the Secretary of the Board is T. Urangerel. Currently, B. Batkhuu has been serving as the Executive Director of the company since 2022.

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The Dividend of 1072 Shares to be Decided by the Board Meeting in February

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

Every citizen of Mongolia owns shares in the "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" company. The first portion of last year's dividend was distributed to citizens before the New Year. Holders of 1072 shares received 121,500 tugriks. However, it is currently unclear when the remaining dividend of over 200,000 tugriks will be paid. "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC has announced that the remainder of the 2024 dividend for 1072 shares will be available for distribution after the company's financial reports are issued and the Board of Directors convenes in February to make a decision. Recently, there have been reports that "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" JSC has started to distribute the 2024 dividends to citizens, claiming distribution will be completed by January 15. However, the company has denied these reports, stating them to be false. It should be noted that the company operated with a net profit of 4.3 trillion tugriks in 2024, and correspondingly, the amount of dividends distributed to citizens has increased.

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Insurance premium increase for drivers nullified

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar. The Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, O. Altangerel, provided an update on current issues today. He stated that complaints regarding the driver's insurance premiums were received from certain individuals and organizations. The Financial Regulatory Commission's driver's insurance premium rate was deemed unsatisfactory. Therefore, a decision was made to render it ineffective. Moreover, this decision has been removed from the unified national registration database. In other words, the decision approving the driver's insurance premium rate by the Financial Regulatory Commission cannot be implemented. This is because a regulatory act must be registered in the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs' unified registry to be enforceable. Consequently, the Financial Regulatory Commission has been instructed to review their documents and ensure compliance with the law. The current insurance relationship causing public frustration is now legally unfeasible. As the decision has been made, individuals can demand refunds from insurance companies. The insurance companies are obligated to return the funds.

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O. Altangerel: The decision to increase the driver's liability insurance to 700,000 tugrik has been annulled /VIDEO/

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs O. Altangerel held a briefing today. He announced that he annulled the Financial Regulatory Commission's decision to increase the driver's liability insurance up to 700,000 tugrik, deeming it a violation of the Constitution, and removed it from the national unified register. Specifically, the Financial Regulatory Commission submitted in November a methodology for calculating the coefficient used in determining the driver's liability insurance fee to the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs for inclusion in the national unified register of regulations to be followed by the public. However, the impact statement provided by the Financial Regulatory Commission did not reflect reality, and based on this coefficient, the rate for driver's liability insurance was sharply increased. In other words, as stated by citizens, this increase to 700,000 tugrik violates the basic constitutional provision which prohibits discrimination based on age, gender, property status, and social origin. For instance, individuals aged 18-25 would be insured under one rate, while those above 61 would be insured under a different, highest rate, thus not complying with legal requirements. Therefore, I decided to annul this decision and remove it from the national unified register, having concluded that errors were made in the impact analysis and the submission of supporting materials.

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O. Altangerel: The regulation on increased compulsory motor insurance premiums was annulled

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

Citizens have filed complaints with the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs regarding the increase in compulsory motor insurance premiums. After reviewing the materials submitted by the Financial Regulatory Commission, it has been determined that the resolution violates the Constitution and has been annulled. Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs O. Altangerel provided information on the matter. He stated, "The methodology for determining the confidence coefficient for motor insurance premiums was submitted to the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs by the Financial Regulatory Commission in November. However, the impact statement provided did not reflect the actual situation. Using this coefficient, the amount of the motor insurance has significantly increased. Citizens are criticizing the increase, which has gone up to 700,000 MNT. This violates the fundamental principle enshrined in the Constitution, which states that individuals should not be discriminated against based on their ethnic origin, age, sex, or social origin. Specifically, individuals aged 18-25 are subject to one rate, while those over 61 are subject to another rate for insurance. Therefore, on January 9, we reviewed the materials submitted by the Financial Regulatory Commission and decided to require them to resubmit it. Those who have paid the fees up until January 9 have the right to claim a refund," he stated.

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This year, citizens under the age of 35 will be quickly included in the mortgage loan program

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

The government plans to offer more mortgage loans in rural areas this year in order to reduce congestion in the capital and support rural revitalization. Last year, approximately 12,000 citizens received mortgage loans totaling 1.3 trillion MNT. Of these, 41% were given to rural citizens. In 2023, 705 citizens in rural areas received mortgage loans, and in 2024, loans amounting to approximately 386 billion MNT were provided to 3,896 citizens. The provinces of Orkhon, Darkhan-Uul, Bayankhongor, Övörkhangai, and Dornod received the highest number of loans. In April 2024, the law on the National Wealth Fund was approved by the State Great Khural, which added 500 billion MNT from the savings fund to the financing of mortgage loans, leading to a more than 50% increase in loan issuance last year. This year, it is planned to issue about 1.2 trillion MNT in mortgage loans. As part of the plan to support young families, citizens up to the age of 35 will be included in the mortgage loan program without delay. Additionally, citizens planning to build individual houses will also be able to receive mortgage loans.

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Enjoy 5% Cashback on Purchases with Your UnionPay Card Anywhere in the World

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

If you are planning a business trip abroad or traveling with friends and family at the beginning of the new year, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new promotional campaign for UnionPay cardholders from Khan Bank. Specifically, within the scope of this campaign, which runs from January 1 to January 31, 2025, holders of Khan Bank's UnionPay (UnionPay) cards can receive 5% cashback on every purchase made through POS devices and all international online shopping websites, regardless of the country they are traveling in. Campaign Terms: - Maximum transaction amount: 5,600,000 MNT - Minimum transaction amount: 30,000 MNT - Maximum cashback amount per customer during the campaign: 280,000 MNT - Minimum cashback amount per customer during the campaign: 1,500 MNT The cashback will automatically be credited to your Khan Bank UnionPay card account on February 10, 2025. For example, if you make online purchases totaling 2,000,000 MNT from January 1-31, 100,000 MNT will be refunded to your account. The offer applies only to personal UnionPay cards and does not include corporate UnionPay cardholders. Considerations for Online Purchases: - Check for the UnionPay label on the bottom right corner of your card. - Ensure the website link you are accessing has HTTPS and a lock symbol to prevent accessing fraudulent websites. - Familiarize yourself with the website's terms and payment conditions before making a purchase. - Monitor your online purchase transactions using Internet banking or the Khan Bank application. - Safeguard your card number, expiry date, PIN, and CVV code, ensuring they are not disclosed to others. Additionally, by ordering a UnionPay SplendorPlus gold card through the Khan Bank app, you can receive "1+5%" cashback on every purchase made in China. For detailed information on the card, click HERE.

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Diplomacy

Reuters: India to sign agreements with Mongolia on geology and exploration

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: itoim.mn

India will soon sign agreements with Mongolia in the field of geology and exploration, a senior official from the Indian government has reported. Landlocked Mongolia is rich in copper and coking coal reserves. India depends on imports of copper and coal to meet its growing demand for red metals used in power, construction, and electronics, and coking coal used for steel production. Reuters' email request for comment from India's mining ministry went unanswered. Companies such as Adani, Hindalco, and Vedanta have expressed their interest in sourcing copper from Mongolia. Officials from India and Mongolia are exploring ways to supply copper and coking coal to Indian companies, favoring the route through Russia's Vladivostok, according to an official. Relations between India and China have been tense since a military clash on their disputed border in 2020, but have been improving following an agreement to withdraw troops from a point in the western Himalayas. Last November, Reuters reported that India's JSW Steel and the state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) held two rounds of talks with Mongolian authorities about importing coking coal. Source: Reuters

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Japan Adds Russian Citizens and Companies to Sanctions List

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

TOKYO. As part of the sanctions imposed on Russia, the Japanese government has decided to include 11 Russian citizens, 51 legal entities, three banks, and dozens of companies and one citizen from eight countries in its sanctions list. Additionally, the export of 335 types of goods, including capsaicin used in factories, parts of special equipment, small motorcycles, and tools, to Russia is prohibited. The sanctions list includes Pavel Marynichev, CEO of "Alrosa," Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy CEO of the state-owned corporation "Rostec," Sergey Petrov, head of "PSV Technologies," and eight others. The assets of these individuals in Japan will be frozen if discovered. Also included in the sanctions are the Russian Machine Building Scientific and Production Union, Aleksinsky Chemical Plant, as well as other scientific and production associations, factories, CMR Bank, RFK Bank, and Timer Bank. Exports have been restricted to 22 Russian companies and organizations. Similar measures are being applied to 31 companies in China (18), UAE (1), Kazakhstan (1), Kyrgyzstan (2), Thailand (1), and Turkey (8). Additionally, one citizen of North Korea and Georgia's MRB Bank have been included in the sanctions list.

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An attack was carried out on the Presidential Palace of Chad

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

According to "Al Arabiya" television, fighters from the terrorist group "Boko Haram" carried out an attack on the Presidential Palace of Chad. At that time, President Mahamat Idriss Déby was in the palace. As a result of the attack, 19 people died and 9 were injured, most of whom were terrorists. The country's Minister of Infrastructure, Aziz Mahamat Saleh, stated that the situation is under the control of the authorities, and all roads leading to the Presidential Palace have been closed and placed under military protection. The attack occurred shortly before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Chad. According to experts, the terrorists carried out this attack in an attempt to destabilize the regional situation. The "Boko Haram" group operates criminal activities in neighboring countries such as Nigeria and Chad and is known for attacking government institutions and civilians. Their goal is to establish Sharia law in the region.

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Mongolians in Los Angeles, please contact the following numbers in case of emergency

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Due to the wildfires occurring in the vicinity of Los Angeles, California, USA, many homes have been affected, and as of the latest reports, 5 people have died and approximately 150,000 people have been evacuated from dangerous areas. The Consulate General in this state requests that you do not travel to the dangerous fire areas, and if you reside in that region, follow the guidelines issued by the local emergency services. For urgent matters, you can contact the following diplomatic missions of Mongolia in the USA at the respective phone numbers 24 hours a day: - Embassy in Washington, D.C. phone: 202-374-6274, email: monconsul@mongolianembassy.us - Consulate General in San Francisco phone: 415-858-9524, email: sanfrancisco.mng@gmail.com - Consulate in Chicago phone: 312-847-0144, email: info@mongolianconsulate.us

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Clarification: S. Erdene Appointed as Vice Consul in Chicago After Passing Examination

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Former Democratic Party leader S. Erdene has been appointed as the vice consul in Chicago, USA. The Vice Consul is appointed directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it has been reported by an official source that S. Erdene has completed the language and general knowledge examinations required by the state service law and is waiting to start his work. He is expected to travel to the USA very soon. Meanwhile, Ts. Ganzorig, who previously served as the vice consul in Chicago, has been appointed as the consul in San Francisco. S. Erdene has held several positions, including Member of Parliament, Member of Government, and Leader of the Democratic Party.

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Infrastructure

Ulaanbaatar 2040: Planning and Developing 14 Cities and Establishing Subcenters

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: news.mn

The capital city of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, first approved its general development plan in 1954 and has since developed six general plans. The "General Development Plan for Ulaanbaatar City Until 2040" has been submitted to the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia. This plan is focused on implementing Mongolia's long-term policies and documents, such as "Vision-2050", "New Revival Policy", and "Regional Development Concept", to make Ulaanbaatar a comfortable and environmentally friendly "20-Minute City". It aligns with the Constitution of Mongolia and other relevant laws and regulations and was openly discussed among the citizens, with 32.2 thousand citizens submitting comments and 93% supporting it. Additionally, discussions were organized among scholars, researchers, professional associations, 14 ministries, their affiliated organizations, NGOs, and university professors to incorporate suggestions and recommendations. In 2013, the "Revised General Development Plan of Ulaanbaatar City Until 2020, and Development Trend Until 2030" was approved by the Parliament. As the implementation period of the previous plan is coming to an end, Ulaanbaatar has been developing plans since 2017 on how to continue its development. By approving and implementing the "General Development Plan for Ulaanbaatar City Until 2040", the following outcomes will be achieved: The capital city, Ulaanbaatar, will transition from a centralized city to a multi-center city system, creating conditions for bringing social and government services closer to citizens and the public. For instance, under the "20-Minute City" concept, 14 cities will be planned and developed, establishing subcenters. Within the Ulaanbaatar region, satellite towns and villages will be specialized in cultural education, agriculture, food, light industries, transport logistics, economic special zones, and tourism. The population of Ulaanbaatar, currently at 1.6 million, is projected to grow to 2.1 million by 2040, with 405 thousand people expected to settle in the satellite towns. The number of jobs will increase by 1.4 times, creating 193 thousand new jobs. The green space per person will be increased from 8 square meters to 35 square meters, creating a comfortable environment for citizens to rest and spend their free time. The road network will be structured with 8 horizontal, 12 vertical, and 3 ring roads, planning to build 1,738.8 km of new roads, increasing the average speed during peak hours from 9 km/h to 22.5 km/h. A high-capacity public transportation network will be established to transport 1.2 million passengers daily, doubling public transport accessibility. Ulaanbaatar's heating load, currently at 3,820 MW, will increase to 7,480 MW, addressed by setting up partial heat sources at 15 locations. It is planned that 91% of the residents of Ulaanbaatar will live in centralized supply apartments and 9% in improved private houses. The electricity supply in the Ulaanbaatar region is currently 1,169 MW, which will increase to 5,408 MW by 2040. 30% of the increasing electricity demand will be met from renewable energy sources, with the remaining supplied by thermal power plants. Under the "Green Housing" project, improved private residential areas will have 49.6 thousand household units insulated, with heating needs addressed by renewable energy and gas systems. As a result, harmful gas emissions from the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar will be reduced to zero. The implementation of the general plan will encourage the involvement of the private sector through public-private partnerships. The implementation of this plan requires an investment of 243 trillion tögrögs, with 123 trillion tögrögs (51%) planned to be financed by domestic and foreign private sector investments, and 120 trillion tögrögs (49%) to be funded by state and city budgets, foreign loans, aid, and bond investments. Press Information and Public Relations Department of UBHD.

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"Some Roads to Become Toll Roads During Peak Hours as Stipulated in Draft Law"

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

"20-Minute City" National Committee Chairman and Minister R. Erdeneburen Discusses Current Issues. Ulaanbaatar is one of the coldest capitals in the world. Cold cities all have air pollution and smog problems, and the world’s big cities have all experienced traffic congestion issues. They have built and tested costly roads, bridges, and infrastructures. Every country has implemented possible options, causing stress and frustration to their citizens. Now, they all look back and reconsider their development paths. Especially after the pandemic, the "20-minute city" concept became a trend as people agreed to start planning cities with people in mind, directing development policies and urban planning towards being people-friendly. Mongolia also agrees to direct urban planning in this direction, learning from the planning mistakes made in the capital in the past, avoiding repetition of mistakes, and most importantly, becoming a city friendly to people, to its citizens. For example, in a "20-minute city," you as a citizen can walk to your workplace, school, hospital, one-stop government service, coffee shop, restaurant, or park, aiming to plan such an environment comprehensively. The Prime Minister himself has paid attention to the problems of the capital and declared 2025 as the "Year of Supporting Infrastructure Development of Ulaanbaatar City." In order to accelerate major infrastructure projects, a rapid response headquarters has been established, headed by the Prime Minister himself. The headquarters meets every Saturday to ensure intersectoral coordination and organization planning. Starting June 1, 2025, the Law on the Legal Status of Cities and Towns will be in force. This law plans to establish 6 state-level cities, 35 local-level cities, and 4 satellite cities. Newly established cities will be organized from the very beginning to be people-friendly. In the past 30 years, Mongolians have made the mistake of overconcentrating in one area, namely the capital, resulting in a dangerous, unhealthy environment for Ulaanbaatar's residents today. This will be corrected and new cities will be organized with new planning methods that are multi-centered and bring social services closer to citizens. There is talk that your "20-minute city" National Committee is drafting a law to make some areas in Ulaanbaatar paid zones. Is this true? No, it isn't. Let me explain. The traffic congestion on Ulaanbaatar roads has been found to increase due to several factors. Firstly, there’s the issue of population growth. Since 1990, Mongolia's population has tripled. Secondly, vehicle growth cannot be ignored. In just the last 10 years, the total number of vehicles in Ulaanbaatar has doubled. Third, urban planning coordination has been lost. Fourth, there's the inadequacy of schools and kindergartens. Fifth, there's the concentration of markets and shopping centers. Finally, traffic culture and behavior. Among these six factors, we cannot manage population growth. Urban planning coordination, insufficiency of schools and kindergartens, and market concentration require long-term planning and financial resources, they won’t yield quick results. Traffic culture and behavior will be managed by establishing paid zones and improving public transport access, thereby changing citizens' cultural attitudes. This means we will manage the factors we can influence shortly by two regulations: managing vehicle growth through tariff policies and changing traffic culture and behavior by providing paid zones and improving public transport access. Along these lines, changes to laws to reduce congestion and housing in ger districts are being drafted, studying various proposals based on international experience. It's important to note that incorrect interpretations are spread by the media and cause societal division. Official decisions and information from the government should be treated as official only when announced. Until then, citizens should understand unofficial interpretations as false. What payment regulations will be implemented in paid zones? The law only establishes upper and lower limits for payments. The Capital City Council will decide annually how much to charge, when the charge applies, and where, based on the law. From January 1, 2025, the Capital City Council will increase car taxes and road usage fees. The law is generally regulatory. We will only set upper and lower limits. The Capital City Council will decide whether to set payments considering the circumstances, whether to set the minimum at zero, to endure congestion, or to use public transport. According to the draft law, toll roads will only be tolled at specific times, during peak hours. For example, people without school children may organize their work so they do not travel during those paid hours on that road, significantly influencing the load. Therefore, it is a method of balancing the load by offering citizens a choice. What regulation is implemented in other cities with heavy traffic, and is it successful? Is there experience similar to Ulaanbaatar? According to international experience, rather than eliminating congestion completely, more emphasis is placed on preventing excessive congestion. This is changed by introducing taxes and fees to alter driving habits, and by making citizens' travel more effective, road congestion is being successfully reduced. Countries use congestion fees to develop public transport, promote walking or cycling habits, effectively reducing traffic congestion, and also contributing to population health. This experience can be seen in Singapore, London, and Stockholm. Generally, three methods are widely used: establishing paid zones, toll roads, and fuel sales taxes. The fastest and most effective method is toll roads, as seen in the US, Japan, and Australia, where traffic congestion has decreased by 30-80% based on actual experience. What actions will the "20-minute city" National Committee take to solve congestion in the future? The government pays special attention to Ulaanbaatar’s issues by establishing a rapid response headquarters to accelerate infrastructure projects, as mentioned at the beginning of the interview. Also, to involve the private sector in construction projects, the Prime Minister initiated changes to the Corporate Income Tax Law, allowing tax refunds, which positively influences the acceleration of construction processes. Moreover, the planning mistakes made over the past 30 years in Ulaanbaatar need to be corrected gradually. For instance, planning to build walking paths and bike paths according to standards so citizens can opt out of driving is underway. This year, the "20-minute city" National Committee is tendering the design to build at least 20 km of sidewalks soon. Also, planning is underway to build underpasses or overpasses at 10 major intersections or exits that cause congestion, to free up traffic flow.

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Agreement Reached to Provide Concessional Loan for the Expansion of Chinggis Khaan International Airport

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Mongolia, Masaru Igawahara, today. At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene highlighted the development of the "human-centered" relationship and cooperation between Mongolia and Japan, which are based on shared democratic values and the "Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Development, and Prosperity." The Prime Minister briefly introduced the policies and measures being implemented by the Government of Mongolia and emphasized the importance placed by the Government on expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan, an important "third neighbor" of Mongolia. He expressed a commitment to further intensify high-level reciprocal visits and dialogues between the two countries. Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene expressed a desire to collaborate on the new satellite city project in Khushig Valley, the reduction of air pollution and traffic congestion in Ulaanbaatar, and the improvement of infrastructure. He also expressed interest in collaborating on a project implemented by Japan and Australia to produce hydrogen from brown coal as part of multilateral cooperation. The Government of Mongolia is enhancing transitions in three areas—artificial intelligence and high technology, green development, and human resources—and invited the Government of Japan to cooperate in these efforts. Ambassador M. Igawahara expressed Japan's intention to further strengthen and enrich the "Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Development, and Prosperity" with Mongolia, particularly by enriching the economic, infrastructure, and defense relations with new content. He also expressed gratitude for the ratification of the "Intergovernmental Agreement on the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" within the framework of the Special Strategic Partnership of Mongolia and Japan by the State Great Khural (Parliament of Mongolia). Ambassador Igawahara announced that the Government of Japan has decided to resume the concessional yen loan under the framework of Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided to Mongolia. This loan, which had been halted since Mongolia joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program in 2017, will primarily be used to expand the capacity of the "Chinggis Khaan" International Airport, a joint project between Mongolia and Japan. It was also agreed to use the concessional loan for the new satellite city project in Khushig Valley and infrastructure improvements in Ulaanbaatar, as well as to thoroughly study and further discuss its use for other development projects, according to the Press and Information Department of the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia.

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Our country plans to establish a factory for civilian and military ammunition

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Mongolia is set to domestically manufacture small arms ammunition, a development previously mentioned by Minister of Defense G. Saikhanbayar. It has been decided to import a factory from Turkey for producing ammunition for both civilian and military purposes. On this matter, Minister of Defense S. Byambatsogt remarked, "The global geopolitical situation is very complex and challenging. Nations are increasing their defense expenditures because of ongoing conflicts everywhere. At this time, it is crucial to focus on strengthening our defense sector and safeguarding the sovereignty of our country. For instance, former US President Trump indicated making Canada the 51st state of the USA, acquiring Greenland, and reclaiming the Panama Canal, suggesting a prevailing risk of major powers seeking dominance. In response, we are initiating the 'Patriotic Mongolia' program to build national resilience. Every citizen should have a mindset dedicated to their homeland, understanding and accepting responsibilities. We are importing new equipment from Japan, and soon a factory will be imported from Turkey to manufacture ammunition within our country. This development will end our reliance on purchasing firearms and ammunition with expensive foreign currency. Mongolia will manufacture civilian and military-grade ammunition. Personnel have been trained to operate the new equipment being imported.

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Despite increases in material and equipment costs for road repairs, the Road Fund fee remained unchanged from 12 years ago

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

According to the resolution approved by the NITKH, the vehicle tax and road usage fee in Ulaanbaatar city were increased from January 1, 2025. In connection with the implementation of this resolution, regarding the regulation of road usage fees, B. Odbayar, Head of the Ulaanbaatar City Road Development Department, stated, "There are three main reasons for increasing the road usage fee in Ulaanbaatar city. It is stated in the law that all funds collected in the Road Fund are to be spent on road repair and maintenance. However, when we look at the work implemented in 2024, approximately 18-20 kilometers of roads are being repaired. The total length of Ulaanbaatar city's road network is 1,291 kilometers. Repairing 18-20 kilometers means repairing 1.5%. The remaining 98% is left without maintenance, and 10 years later when major repairs are needed, there is not enough funding. As a result, the quality of the roads continues to deteriorate. The strategy for implementing road repairs involves two approaches: maintaining 'good road first' and fixing bad roads first, which selects a poor strategy. However, if roads are repaired while they are still in good condition, it is possible to extend their lifespan by 40% at lower costs. In reality, the essential improvements are prioritized for repair using the funds from the Road Fund. This leads to a decrease in road quality because the fund's money is insufficient for road repairs and maintenance. Citizens are saying 'The road usage fee has increased by five times.' However, a citizen who commutes around 6,000 kilometers a year between work and home with a small passenger vehicle used to pay 20,000 MNT per year for road usage fees. Calculating this shows that it is approximately three MNT per kilometer annually. This is 86 times lower than the world average and 90 times lower than countries with similar regulations to ours. Based on this, in comparison with road maintenance and for countries with similar conditions, the road usage fee was increased from three MNT to 15 MNT per kilometer. For example, a citizen driving a small vehicle will be paying 100,000 MNT per year for road usage starting January 1, 2025. Since the road usage fee system was established in 2013, the fee amount had not increased. Although the cost of materials, equipment, and devices for repairing one kilometer of road has increased from 12 years ago, the fee collected in the Road Fund has remained the same. In the past year, 162.3 kilometers, and over the last four years, more than 200 kilometers of the city's main streets were repaired and renewed. By planning and executing these road repairs and renovations intensely, the goal is to maintain road quality indicators above 80%. The road usage fee will be paid once a year electronically. It can be paid via systems such as Smartcar, e-Mongolia, or by contacting a commercial bank. The road usage fee for 2024 will be paid at the non-increased amount. However, the 2025 fee will be paid according to the new tariff. Starting January 1, 2025, the amount for the city's road usage fee will be in effect. Warning: Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social and Web Pages) must provide the source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, completely or partially.

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LIST: Construction and Projects to be Implemented with ₮153 Billion from the Capital Road Fund This Year

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

The Ulaanbaatar City Council increased the annual vehicle tax by 2-3% and the road usage fee by five times, which has been criticized by the public as it puts an economic burden, but it is unavoidable. Now, the question of how the car taxes and fees will be spent draws attention. It is evident that from the automobile tax, ₮120.2 billion, road usage fees ₮100.5 billion, and penalty fines ₮122.9 billion in revenue have been approved to be collected in the metropolitan budget, with penalty revenue having the highest amount. During the city budget discussion in December last year, Mayor Kh. Nyambaatar introduced that "In 2025, the funds from increasing the vehicle tax 2-3 times and the road usage fee 5 times will be spent on expanding, improving, maintaining, and renovating the city's road network, and updating technology and equipment, increasing the income and sources of the Metropolitan Road Fund by ₮151.5 billion." However, from the 2025 city budget, it is planned to spend ₮153.2 billion for rainwater drainage systems, road and bridge maintenance, expansion, renovations, and maintenance of traffic lights, designing road construction projects, purchasing equipment, and buying LCMS tools to measure road damage. In other words, the administration of Ulaanbaatar plans to allocate the revenue from the vehicle taxes and road usage fees paid by citizens and enterprises as follows. Expenditure list from the Metropolitan Road Fund: - Building new and renovating existing road structures: ₮46.7 billion - Maintenance and repair of roads and road structures: ₮61.5 billion, from which ₮42.5 billion for routine repairs of Peace Avenue and other main and secondary roads - Laying rainwater drainage pipes: ₮24.7 billion - To finance works such as purchasing equipment for the Metropolitan Road Development Agency and digitizing vehicle registration with ₮20.1 billion. List of works to be implemented in 2025 with investment from the Metropolitan Road Fund: In 2024, it is planned to renovate 138.8 kilometers of roads in 68 locations with domestic bond sources amounting to ₮270.6 billion, and 65.2% of main roads have been repaired. Warning: Media organizations (TV, Radio, Social, and Websites) must mention the source (ikon.mn) when fully or partially using our information.

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Society

Collaborating with International Organizations to Support Families

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The leadership of the GBNH Ministry held discussions with international organizations on policies and activities concerning family and children's rights. The meeting included representatives from UNICEF, UNFPA, the International Labor Organization, Save the Children Japan, World Vision, OneSky, Good Neighbors, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the Lorinet Foundation, and the General Department for Child and Family Development and Protection. M. Tsogtbaatar, who is currently acting as the head of the Family Policy Department at the GBNH Ministry, presented a report titled “The Current Situation, Policies, Legal Environment, and Reforms on Family and Children,” and listened to the plans of the participating organizations for 2025. Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan stated, “We will continue to regularize our meetings with international organizations. We have decided to establish a working group to create and implement effective policy options, to discuss issues regarding child labor, to share information on family support policies, their implementation, results, and to address protection during disasters and special situations, as well as expenditures on child protection services.”

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Employers Who Do Not Care About Their Workers Are Escalating Labor Exploitation

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

We often say that Japanese people are born to work. However, excessive enthusiasm for work has begun to adversely affect their health. In recent years, Japan has been vigorously discussing the high levels of work-related stress and seeking solutions. Unlimited working hours and responsibilities negatively impact many people's mental state, leading to stress. The concept of "karoshi," or death related to overwork, is common in Japan and refers to cases of people dying due to overworking. Therefore, Japan plans to implement a four-day workweek starting this April. Specifically, government employees in Tokyo will work for four days a week, aiming to support working mothers, boost birth rates, and improve the balance and quality of work and personal life. It is expected that this decision will be implemented more widely in the future, involving the private sector as well. Many countries around the world are focusing on improving working conditions for employees, increasing salaries and incentives, paying attention to their health and mental well-being, solving social issues, and providing opportunities for them to spend time with their children and families. For example, Belgium provides paid leave to employees suffering from depression. If an employee takes a temporary leave due to mental health reasons, according to a doctor's assessment, the employer and the social insurance fund pay a portion of the salary. By law, such employees receive 100% compensation from their employer for the first month. This system supports mental health, reduces workplace stress, and allows people to take care of their health. In Finland, working hours are flexible, with a focus on maintaining work-life balance. They enhance productivity through good education and training, fairly calculate wages, and pay special attention to the working environment. Switzerland is known for having one of the highest average salary systems. Overtime is well-compensated. In Germany, for example, workers have the right to contribute their opinions to management, and labor contracts are strictly followed. Countries that consider their citizens and provide examples like these know that a healthy, worry-free workforce results in high productivity and benefits for the organization in the long term. What about working conditions in Mongolia? In Mongolia, if you want to work, it seems like you have to work as if you have no private life, like a horse or a dog. Leaving home at dawn and returning late at night seems like a big deal. According to the Labor Law, a person should work eight hours a day. However, most work overtime. The traffic congestion in the city contributes significantly to this. If you don't leave home 2-3 hours before starting work at 8:00 AM, it's common to be late. The congestion determines when you can return home as well. Research by the city's administration showed that residents spend an average of 2.5 hours a day or 35 days a year on the road. The total cost of this lost opportunity was recently presented as 2.7 trillion MNT. The time wasted on the road stresses citizens and negatively affects work productivity. The salaries of Mongolians are relatively low compared to other countries. Workers in the high-paid mining sector are limited; in other words, there are only just over one million in Mongolia's workforce of 3.5 million people. Strangely, organizations looking for employees and citizens looking for jobs have not managed to align their interests. Who would want to work for excessive tasks with minimal pay? On one side, citizens are dissatisfied with salaries and working conditions. On the other, employers eager to make people work without rest. Many talk about how people in the construction and service industries are lazy, unable to find workers. Yet, they don't mention the poor conditions and low wages they offer. They make people work around the clock, survive on instant noodles, and don't even pay full salaries. People work without a strict schedule, even on holidays, under dirty and unsafe conditions, and employers don't care about their health, psychology, or social issues. All of this undermines citizens' ability to work stably. Despite having laws to regulate labor rights, few are enforced. Furthermore, opportunities to learn and develop at work are not provided, and there is an increase in tasks beyond the core responsibilities, leading workers to become wary. The amended Labor Law states that "if an employee working at night is not given compensatory rest, their average salary will be increased by 1.2 times or more." Similarly, Article 109.4 specifies that "if an employee working on a public holiday is not given compensatory rest, their average salary will be doubled or more." Few strictly follow this. Especially in the private sector, people continue to suffer labor exploitation. The process where employers or capital holders unfairly use workers' labor to generate more profits at the expense of their rights and value is defined as labor exploitation. In our country, it is widespread to make new employees work without pay under the guise of a trial period, work overtime without additional pay, and even on night shifts, medical staff, nurses, and security guards cannot get extra incentives. Last year, more than 300 employees at the National Mental Health Center reported not receiving full overtime pay for night shifts, suffering labor exploitation. Furthermore, students and young people who cannot have their work valued fairly are often demotivated, opting to emigrate abroad. Moreover, young people who return home educated abroad prefer to work and live abroad instead of adapting to a society plagued by corruption, favoritism, and self-interest. Many who went to study have "melted" into foreign lands. A couple, where the husband was a university lecturer and the wife worked on a major foreign project, went to Australia for studies and settled there. They explained that even though they do menial jobs, the environment is comfortable, health and education services are accessible and of high quality, and food and safety are sufficient, so they are not eager to return. In short, instead of pretending to be intellectuals and struggling in Mongolia, they prefer to work in difficult but well-paid jobs abroad and live peacefully. Australia is one of the leading countries in the world in protecting workers' rights. Their job advertisements are clear and realistic. For example, employers state whether they want full-time, part-time, or a certain number of hours per week. Temporary workers called in only when work is available are also in demand, so job seekers can choose jobs that suit their available time. Depending on whether one is a citizen, permanent, or temporary resident, employed in certain work, and gender, the salary valuation varies. The average weekly salary is approximately 3-4 million MNT. In our country, it is impossible to earn this amount even by toiling for a whole month or 30 days. Under such circumstances, it's difficult to blame those living abroad for seeking higher wages. Similarly, finding a job in Mongolia through ads is like a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Claims of making you a millionaire or billionaire are almost fraudulent. Few write specific working hours and wages honestly in their job postings. For example, student E took a job at a store run by "Hurd" group during her school break. The organizer greeted E, who came from the countryside, kindly and hired her, but did not pay the promised salary. Although E worked for a month, she received only over 100,000 MNT. Initially, they agreed on an hourly wage of 6,000 MNT. E diligently worked over 100 hours. In principle, she should have been paid according to her working hours at the agreed rate. Like the saying "a crow pecking on a dead horse," the proprietors seemed accustomed to exploiting students for free labor. When E went to ask for her salary twice, she was scolded harshly. In the end, earning money through work became her fault. Now, she dreads asking for her salary. This is one example of why the Labor Law in Mongolia is not implemented. Also, A, who retired, worked as a cleaner at a hotel. Since the pension was insufficient, she wanted to earn additional income. However, her job made her work overtime, even on weekends, without giving her time to eat or drink tea. Such poor working conditions and low wages demotivate people. According to the "Mongolia's Labor Market Analysis" report by the World Bank in 2022, although the economy has grown and labor demand has increased significantly in the past 20 years, the majority of jobs have been created in relatively low-paying sectors, which is a concern. While high-ranking officials talk beautifully about reviving the economy, the workforce collapses under the tax burden, and citizens have become like horses with their backs broken.

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Unemployment Benefits Will Be Fully Paid Out This Month

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

Employers and employees contribute 0.7% (0.5; 0.2) of their income to the unemployment insurance fund. A total of 137 billion tugriks in benefits were paid to 30.8 thousand insured individuals who became unemployed in 2024. Policyholders receive benefits if they have been covered by unemployment insurance for a total of 24 months, with continuous coverage in the last 9 months. According to the law, this benefit is distributed over a period of 76 working days. The unemployment insurance fund is budgeted for 143 billion tugriks in 2025. The Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Protection announced that some benefits that were pending in 2024 will be fully disbursed this month.

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The Constitution of Mongolia Has Been Converted to Audio Format for the First Time

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

In connection with the 33rd anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of Mongolia on January 13, 1992, the audio version of the Constitution of Mongolia has been prepared and published for the first time by the Secretariat of the State Great Khural of Mongolia with support from the United Nations Population Fund. The Constitution of Mongolia consists of 6 chapters and 70 articles, and amendments have been made to the law a total of 5 times in 1999, 2000, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Furthermore, as part of the 33rd anniversary of the adoption of the democratic constitution, the audio version of the Mongolian Constitution will be published with a sign language interpreter. To listen to the audio version, click HERE. Warning: Media organizations (Television, Radio, Social and Web pages) must mention their source (ikon.mn) when using our information in any form, either fully or partially.

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Environment

An Earthquake of Magnitude 4 Occurred in Khövsgöl Province

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 occurred 80 km northwest of the center of Ulaan-Uul soum in Khövsgöl province last night at 23:33:01. The geographical location (Latitude, Longitude) is determined as 51.10, 98.29. The strength of earthquakes is evaluated on a scale of 8 magnitudes and 12 intensity levels. Magnitude refers to a measure of the energy released at the source of the earthquake underground, while intensity is assessed in terms of how much the ground shakes and the effect it has on people and structures on the surface. An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 is recorded only by instruments. A magnitude of 2.5-5.4 can be felt by people, and minor damage may occur. A magnitude of 5.5-6.0 can cause slight structural damage. A magnitude of 6.1-6.9 will result in damage in populated areas. A magnitude of 7.0-7.9 can cause serious damage and destruction, while earthquakes exceeding a magnitude of 8 are considered very strong, potentially leading to complete destruction near the epicenter.

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Improving Disaster Resilience in the Following Provinces

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: gogo.mn

The "Improving Disaster Resilience and Reducing Vulnerability in Pastoral Livestock-Based Livelihoods" technical cooperation project is being implemented in the provinces of Sükhbaatar, Govi-Sümber, Khovd, and Zavkhan. In Sükhbaatar Province, efforts are underway to establish milk cafes and workshops for children and mothers by integrating dairy farmer groups and cooperatives, based on the local industrial technology park, to enable the production of milk and dairy products. In Khovd Province, support is being provided to construct a workshop for producing five types of livestock feed from locally available raw materials, as part of the "Young Livestock Farmer" training program developed in collaboration with the UN FAO and the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, incorporated into the Polytechnic College of Development's training program. Additionally, in collaboration with the "Bayalag Sutai Development" cooperative of herders in Darvi County, plans have been made to devise a breeding plan for "Sutai" breed sheep, improve livestock productivity, and enhance livelihoods through a "Community-Based Breeding Program." In Govi-Sümber Province, a cooperative breeding program is being implemented in collaboration with the "Tolog" brand, leveraging groups of herders. By fall 2024, the plan to produce young sheep meat involves selecting and integrating 50 rams and 660 ewes of the "Barga" breed. Support is provided to the core herd of Zavkhan Province, part of the National Genetic Resource Center, by implementing the "Community-Based Breeding Program" through the herders' cooperative of the Maanuustai subgroup of Ider County and supporting the governance of the cooperative.

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Innovation

E. Anar: Mongolia Becomes the 12th Asian Country to Launch 'Apple Pay'

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: ikon.mn

We spoke with E. Anar, Director of the Payment Department at the Bank of Mongolia, about the "Apple Pay" service. - "Apple Pay" service has been launched in Mongolia. Can you give a brief overview of this service? - "Apple Pay" is a state-of-the-art payment tool, first introduced in 2018, that has expanded globally with over 800 million users across more than 90 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. This service allows fast transactions using Apple products with the iOS operating system, such as smartphones and smartwatches, by utilizing fingerprint and facial recognition technology. Users can also pay for services like Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+, download games and applications from the App Store, and add storage to their iCloud account, among other Apple-related payments. - What role did the Bank of Mongolia play in facilitating this service as the central bank? - The Bank of Mongolia manages the entire national payment system, ensuring the technical infrastructure and technology readiness needed for implementing diversified payment solutions. The bank supports and collaborates with commercial banks and fintech organizations to implement various projects aimed at swift and reliable public payment processing. Since 2010, the Bank of Mongolia initiated the creation of the national brand ₮ card and implemented it in collaboration with banks by 2012. After signing the "M/Chip Technology License Agreement" with Mastercard in 2019, the process transitioned the national brand ₮ card to highly secure EMV chip and NFC contactless technology. This laid the foundation for a variety of services such as QR code-based transactions using the chip-equipped ₮ card and tokenization of card information. Additionally, cardholders can conduct low-value transactions without a PIN by simply tapping their ₮ card for public transportation, parking, and road tolls, enabling contactless payments. These phased efforts established the essential infrastructure for launching the "Apple Pay" service, opening the door for one of the world's leading payment tools to enter our country. It is also necessary to note the contribution of the fintech company "Bonum LLC," which played a role in launching this service. As the first fintech company in Mongolia to be licensed for card issuance and payment acceptance, Bonum LLC is a primary member and service provider for Mastercard. With Bonum LLC's involvement, "Apple Pay" successfully entered the Mongolian market, serving as an intermediary connecting banks. - What advantages does the introduction of "Apple Pay" bring to the Mongolian payment system for citizens? - Mongolia has become the 12th Asian country to introduce this service. Within two weeks of its launch, over 70,000 citizens of Mongolia began using "Apple Pay" for transactions. The primary benefit for Mongolian citizens is the ability to use the national payment brand ₮ card for international transactions, providing a new gateway for international payments. Furthermore, the independence of the national brand card’s infrastructure allows its use internationally, reducing geopolitical risks and enhancing national security. Additionally, it enables straightforward and rapid payments using iPhones at over 150,000 POS devices used across Mongolia. - What future strategies is the Bank of Mongolia planning for payment system development? - We are pursuing policies to expand the use of the national brand ₮ card and create pathways for its acceptance within international card networks overseas. As part of this effort, an agreement between the Bank of Mongolia and Hong Kong's EFT Solutions will allow ₮ card payments for goods and services in Hong Kong by 2025. With Bonum LLC acting as Mastercard’s service provider in Mongolia, they can introduce Mastercard's new digital solutions to the Mongolian market. Potential services include Mastercard Local, Pay Link, and international money transfers. Following "Apple Pay," other major players in the smartphone market like Samsung with Samsung Pay and Google with Google Pay have expressed interest in entering the Mongolian market. The Bank of Mongolia plans to continue supporting and encouraging innovative solutions in payments by backing projects and initiatives by banks and financial institutions.

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Cooperation with Vietnam in Developing Artificial Intelligence

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: isee.mn

Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Communication Ts. Baatarkhuu met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Mongolia, Nguyen Duan Thanh. At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Ts. Baatarkhuu highlighted that the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Vietnam was celebrated last year, and the start of direct flights between the two countries has significantly boosted the cooperation between enterprises. He expressed a desire to further expand cooperation in the fields of communication and technology. He stated, "Mongolia has focused on digitizing governmental services, allowing citizens to access these services using mobile phones and desktop computers. As a result, Mongolia moved up 28 positions to rank 46th among 193 countries in the UN's biennial 'E-Government Development Index.' The role of the 'E-Mongolia Academy' has been significant in this progress. Therefore, we are interested in cooperation to make governmental services of Vietnam more accessible to its citizens." The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Nguyen Duan Thanh stated, "In recent years, our country's communication and information technology sectors have developed rapidly. Major global IT companies have shown interest. Last month, we signed a cooperation agreement with NVIDIA. Under this agreement, we plan to establish a 'Research Center for Artificial Intelligence Development' and a 'Data Center for Artificial Intelligence.' Additionally, manufacturers of semiconductor chips have commenced cooperation to expand production. The information technology sector holds a special position in Vietnam’s economy, and we are looking to collaborate with Mongolia in this field." At the end of the meeting, Minister Ts. Baatarkhuu stated that Mongolia is focusing on developing the digital economy by 2025. In this regard, there is an opportunity for mutual experience exchange with Vietnam in the development of artificial intelligence, the launch of joint programs to nurture startup companies from both countries, and cooperation in developing new emerging technologies. In Mongolia, the communication and information technology sector accounts for 3.2% of GDP. In Vietnam, IT companies are exempt from corporate income tax for the first four years, with a gradual reduction in the tax rate over the next nine years, reducing to 10% in the final two years. In Vietnam, the communication and information technology sector accounts for about 3.0% of GDP, or sales revenue of 150 billion dollars, which is twice the growth compared to other economic sectors.

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Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarships for Students

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

The Government of Brunei Darussalam has announced a scholarship program for international students for the 2025-2026 academic year. This scholarship program is available for diploma, bachelor's, and master's level students. The scholarship includes a monthly living allowance of 650 Brunei dollars, which is approximately 1,600,000 Mongolian tugriks, as well as accommodation and tuition fees. Requirements: - Must be a citizen of Mongolia and in good health; - For bachelor's and diploma level studies, applicants must have a high school diploma or higher education certificate, good academic performance, and be up to 25 years old; - For master's level studies, applicants must have a bachelor's degree or higher, and be up to 35 years old (as of the start date of the scholarship program, July 1); - Language proficiency: IGCSE “C” grade; GCE-O level; IELTS score of 6; TOEFL score of 550. The registration will continue until February 15, 2025. Registration link for the scholarship: https://apps.katalyst.gov.bn/bdgs-mfabrunei/applicationform. More detailed information about the scholarship and the school can be obtained via the link: https://www.mfa.gov.bn/Pages/online-bdgs.aspx. Follow @montsame.mn.

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Health

Expressing Support for Establishing a Disease Control and Prevention Center in Mongolia

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

In Ulaanbaatar, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, D. Ochirbat, is leading a team that is visiting the operations of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention from January 7-11. The team consists of department heads and experts from the Ministry of Health, the National Center for Communicable Diseases, the National Center for Public Health, the World Health Organization Resident Representative's Office, and experts from UNICEF. During an official meeting with China's Deputy Minister of Health, the Head of the National Administration for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Director General of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Professor Hongbing Shen, State Secretary D. Ochirbat noted the growing relations and cooperation between the health sectors of the two countries in the area of disease control and prevention. He mentioned that Mongolia has drafted its first Public Health Assistance and Services Act, which was finalized and approved by the National Assembly on January 12, 2024, and has been in effect since April 1, 2024. This law legislates the establishment of the Disease Control and Prevention Center and the Public Health Center in Mongolia, setting major goals in the national-level policy documents for short, medium, and long-term development. These goals focus on strengthening the public health system and improving the accessibility of services by establishing a national disease control and prevention center and public health centers in local regions. At this crucial time, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share experiences about the structure, operations, best practices, and achievements of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and its affiliated organizations, and invited them to visit Mongolia. The Deputy Minister of Health of China, the Head of the National Administration for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Director General of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Professor Hongbing Shen, expressed his commitment to fully support and cooperate in establishing a Disease Control and Prevention Center in Mongolia. The Mongolian team is set to become acquainted with the structure and operations of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Emergency Operations Center, the National Institute for Radiological Sciences, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Toxicology, the WHO China Office, and regional disease control and prevention centers.

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The US Embassy Donated Pulse Oximeters

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: unuudur.mn

Due to respiratory infections such as seasonal flu and flu-like illnesses, the number of patients admitted to hospitals has increased. Therefore, the US Embassy in Mongolia handed over pulse oximeters to the Ministry of Health. E. Munkhsuld, the head of the Finance and Economics Department of the Ministry of Health, stated that these devices will be promptly distributed to soum and family health centers. It should be noted that a pulse oximeter can quickly detect oxygen deficiency or breathing problems. It is also an essential tool for monitoring blood circulation, heart function, lung, and respiratory diseases.

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Discussion on “Air Pollution and Public Health” to be held

Published: 2025-01-10 | Translated from: montsame.mn

A discussion on the topic of “Air Pollution and Public Health” will be held at the State Palace on January 15th. The discussion is organized by the working group established by the 07th resolution of the Standing Committee on Environment, Food, and Agriculture of the State Great Khural on December 19, 2024, which is tasked with organizing and preparing for the general oversight hearing concerning air pollution and smoke issues. Citizens who wish to participate in the discussion started submitting their applications from January 9th. The application submission period will continue until January 13th.

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